Friday, May 17, 2013
Rosewood Poaching Turns Violent; Rapid Response Facility Provides Emergency Support
On the 3rd of May, the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) received a request for emergency support in confronting a surge of rosewood poaching in Dong ...

Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Two New Episodes of Patrimonito’s World Heritage Adventures Available Online
World Heritage Education Programme is pleased to announce the release  of "Patrimonito’s World Heritage Adventures" cartoon ...

Friday, May 3, 2013
UNESCO and International Astronomical Union sign new agreement
On 30 April 2013, UNESCO and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) renewed their Memorandum of Understanding at the Organization’s ...

Friday, May 3, 2013
The Director-General of UNESCO Expresses Deep Concern at the Rising Violence in the Central African Republic, at the Heart of the Sangha Trinational Site
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has expressed deep concern over the rise of armed violence, poaching and destruction in the Dzanga-Sanga ...

Friday, May 3, 2013
Collaboration between Two Volcanic World Heritage Sites on Managing Risks to Visitors
Demonstrating an excellent example of cooperation between managers and staff of two of the globe’s most iconic World Heritage volcano sites, ...

Monday, April 29, 2013
Extension of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust 2013- 2016
After three successful programme cycles of 4 years each, during the period from 2001 to 2012, the Dutch Government decided to extend the Netherlands ...

Friday, April 26, 2013
First European Marine World Heritage Sites conference commits to strong regional cooperation
From 15-16 April 2013, 25 experts from 4 European marine World Heritage Sites were brought together in Tönning (Germany) with the aim to ...

Thursday, April 25, 2013
2nd South East Europe World Heritage Youth Forum for peace and sustainable development held
The 2nd South East European (SEE) World Heritage Youth Forum for peace and sustainable development was held from 6 to 11 April 2013 in Zajecar, ...

Wednesday, April 24, 2013
UNESCO Director-General deplores continuing destruction of ancient Aleppo, a World Heritage site
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expressed her deep distress over reports of the continuing destruction which has severely damaged the ancient ...

Friday, April 12, 2013
11th Expert Working Group releases recommendations for Safeguarding the Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan
A group of Afghan and international experts working on the safeguarding of Bamiyan (Afghanistan), as well as representatives of the Afghan and ...

Friday, March 22, 2013
World Heritage sites participate in Earth Hour 2013
Once again UNESCO will partner with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Earth Hour, one of the world's largest and most well-known environmental ...

Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Agreement signed for reconstruction of Kasubi Tombs, Uganda
On 1st March 2013, UNESCO signed the Plan of Operation with the Government of Uganda for the project “Technical and financial assistance for the ...

Friday, March 1, 2013
Syria: The Director-General of UNESCO Appeals to Stop Violence and to Protect the World Heritage City of Aleppo
For more than a year now, I have been expressing on behalf of UNESCO my deep concern about the dramatic humanitarian situation in Syria and the ...

Tuesday, February 26, 2013
World Heritage field guide for climate change adaptation tested at Kenyan World Heritage sites
The field testing of the World Heritage Centre’s field guide for climate change adaptation in natural World Heritage sites was launched last ...

Friday, February 22, 2013
New UNESCO website on Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha World Heritage site
The UNESCO Kathmandu Office has recently created a website on Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha, World Heritage property in Nepal: ...

Tuesday, February 19, 2013
International experts and decision makers gathered at UNESCO adopt Action Plan for Mali’s cultural heritage and manuscripts
An Action Plan for the Rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage and the Safeguarding of Ancient Manuscripts in Mali was adopted at an international ...

Friday, February 15, 2013
UNESCO and the Fondation Franz Weber partner for World Heritage preservation
On 10 January 2013, UNESCO and the Fondation Franz Weber of Switzerland signed a five-year agreement to reinforce support for the Rapid Response ...

Wednesday, February 13, 2013
UNESCO convenes international experts meeting for the safeguarding of Malian cultural heritage
The Director-General of UNESCO, together with the Government of France, is organizing an international Day of Solidarity for Mali on 18 February 2013 ...

Friday, February 8, 2013
Marine World Heritage: The Crown Jewels of the Ocean event calls for support of marine sites
On 7 February, international film stars Clive Owen and Jacques Perrin gave their support to Marine World Heritage: The Crown Jewels of the ...

Monday, February 4, 2013
UNESCO has developed cultural heritage maps and a “Heritage Passport” to help protect Mali’s cultural heritage
In response to the conflict taking place in the northern regions of Mali since April 2012, UNESCO, in collaboration with the National Directorate of ...

Sunday, February 3, 2013
Director-General visits Mali with French President François Hollande
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova made a visit to Mali on Saturday 2 February with French President François Hollande and the interim ...

Saturday, February 2, 2013
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova in Mali to spearhead UNESCO’s commitment to safeguard and rebuild Mali’s extraordinary cultural heritage
The Director-General is visiting Mali today with French President François Hollande, with the goal to launch the assessment of the state of ...

Saturday, February 2, 2013
World Wetlands Day 2013
2 February each year is World Wetlands Day. It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of ...

Friday, February 1, 2013
Project Publication on Tourism Management at World Heritage Sites of Portuguese Origin and Influence
In January 2013, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Turismo de Portugal (the Portuguese Tourism Authority) concluded their joint project on ...

Wednesday, January 30, 2013
UNESCO determined to help Mali restore and rebuild its cultural heritage
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today announced that UNESCO will do everything possible to safeguard and rebuild Mali’s extraordinary ...

Monday, January 21, 2013
World Heritage Volunteers 2013 - Patrimonito Voluntary Action - Inspiring change
Are you a youth organization and want to sensitize the young people more about the value of World Heritage sites?  Or are you an NGO and wish to ...

Monday, January 14, 2013
The Director-General of UNESCO urges military forces to protect cultural sites in Mali during air raids and ground interventions
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova launched an appeal to all military forces in Mali: "I ask all armed forces to make every effort to ...

Monday, January 7, 2013
UNESCO holds the first International Colloquium on the Conservation of World Heritage Earthen Architecture
Within framework of the World Heritage Earthen Architecture Programme (WHEAP), an international colloquium on the conservation of earthen architecture ...

Friday, December 21, 2012
Best Wishes 2013 from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre
World Heritage sites cover a quater of all marine protected areas on the planet: 46 jewels of the ocean, beautiful but fragile. Lest's protect ...

Tuesday, December 18, 2012
First Expert/Stakeholder Meeting for Management Plan of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata
The First Expert/Stakeholder Meeting took place in Pompei (Italy) on 17 November 2012, within the framework of the project “Towards a governance ...

Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Successful Completion of Climate Change Adaptation Project in the Peruvian Andes
Negotiated with the support of the World Heritage Centre, this 3 year Swiss government financed project entitled "Local Capacities for climate change ...

Monday, December 17, 2012
Nairobi Convention calls for cooperation on marine World Heritage in Indian Ocean
During the recent 7th Conference of the Parties for the Nairobi Convention (December 2012, Maputo, Mozambique), dedicated to "Partnering for a Healthy ...

Sunday, December 16, 2012
US celebrates the 40th anniversary of UNESCO's World Heritage Convention in Washington, and pays tribute to the Honourable Russell Train
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, laid out a vision for the World Heritage Convention in the 21st century stunning some 200 people ...

Friday, December 14, 2012
International experts meeting on earthen architecture: its preservation and potential for the future
Forty of the world’s leading experts on earthen architecture—which serves as habitat for up to one third of the world’ ...

Thursday, December 6, 2012
UNESCO pays tribute to the memory of Oscar Niemeyer, a great humanist and an engaged architect
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, paid tribute to the great Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer, who died on Wednesday, 5 December, ...

Thursday, December 6, 2012
Panasonic World Heritage 2013 Calendar released in paper, online and tablet PC app formats
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Panasonic Corporation present the new tablet PC edition of the 2013 World Heritage calendar. Featuring stunning ...

Wednesday, December 5, 2012
New World Heritage state of conservation information system accessible to public
The World Heritage Centre, with the support from the Flanders Government, has embarked on the development a comprehensive and integrated information ...

Friday, November 30, 2012
2012-2013 World Heritage Map Available
The latest version of the World Heritage map, produced by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and National Geographic Maps with the generous support of ...

Monday, November 26, 2012
Representatives from 30 Latin American Countries to prepare World Heritage Action Plan
The final meeting in the Second Cycle of the Periodic Report on the State of World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean will take place from 3 ...

Saturday, November 24, 2012
The Colmar Forum: enhanced collaboration between Council of Europe, EU, UNESCO, UNWTO and OECD
25 years of Council of Europe cultural routes celebrated in Colmar, France, 21-23 November 2012 The Colmar Forum, organized by the secretariat ...

Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Expert Working Group releases final Recommendation for Safeguarding Herat and Jam
The 3rd Expert Working Group Meeting  for the Old City of Herat and the World Heritage property of Jam (Afghanistan), met at the Museo d’ ...

Friday, November 16, 2012
World Heritage Convention turns 40
The World Heritage Convention, adopted by the UNESCO General Conference on 16 November 1972, turns 40 today. The only treaty for heritage preservation ...

Friday, November 16, 2012
"Passport" booklet highlighting United States’ World Heritage sites published
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, Eastern National and the National Park Service’s Office of ...

Thursday, November 8, 2012
World Heritage Convention’s 40th anniversary celebration concludes and launches Kyoto Vision
The Closing Event of the 40thAnniversary of the World Heritage Convention concluded today in Kyoto, Japan, after three days of presentations and ...

Thursday, November 8, 2012
Final Meeting of the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for Latin America and the Caribbean
In the framework of Document WHC-12/36.COM/10C and Decision 36 COM 10C adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session (Saint Petersburg, ...

Thursday, November 8, 2012
Preparations are being completed in Chile for the final meeting of the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for LAC
Preparations are being completed in Chile, where almost everything is ready, for the final meeting of the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting ...

Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Gala performance by the Cuban National Ballet on the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention
The Cuban National Cultural Heritage Council (CNPC) and the Cuban National Ballet (BNC) offered last October 30 a gala performance on the 40th ...

Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Reflection and future perspectives mark World Heritage Convention’s 40th anniversary closing event in Kyoto, Japan
The opening ceremony of the Closing Event taking place in Kyoto from 6 to 8 November featured a performance by UNESCO Artist for Peace Sarah ...

Monday, November 5, 2012
Closing celebration of World Heritage Convention’s 40th anniversary
A three-day event in Kyoto, Japan, will mark the end of a year-long worldwide celebration of the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention ...

Wednesday, October 31, 2012
The Africa region celebrates 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, over 300 delegates, including 16 African Ministers of Culture, ...

Thursday, October 25, 2012
Vigan, Philippines recognized for best practice in World Heritage site management
The Historic Town of Vigan (Philippines), inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999, has been recognized as a model of best practices in World ...

Friday, October 19, 2012
International Youth Forum Go4BioDiv at Sundarbans National Park
Thirty-four young messengers (participants) from over 20 different marine World Heritage sites around the world gathered in Hyderabad from 6 to ...

Friday, October 19, 2012
Director-General condemns renewed destruction of mausoleums in Timbuktu
Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO today denounced the renewed destruction of mausoleums in northern Mali, near the World Heritage city of ...